1st Advantage MortgageSalt Lake County households have a median income of $97,494 and median rent of $1,592 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Utah license first.
On this page
- A quick profile of Salt Lake County
- Household income in Salt Lake County
- Work, industries and travel time in Salt Lake County
- Housing costs in Salt Lake County
- Salt Lake County towns compared
- Salt Lake County next to its neighbors
- A Salt Lake County household budget, worked through
- What the numbers mean for Salt Lake County borrowers
- More Salt Lake County figures
- Steps before you apply in Salt Lake County
- Checking a lender's license in Utah
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Salt Lake County
Roughly 1,196,523 residents live in Salt Lake County, Utah, 1st by population among the state's 29 counties and county equivalents. It covers 753 square miles of land, or about 1,589 people per square mile. For statistical purposes it belongs to the Salt Lake City-Murray, UT metro area, as delineated by the Office of Management and Budget in July 2023. The Census Bureau counts 24 places in the county (23 incorporated, 1 census-designated); the largest is Salt Lake City, with about 208,007 residents, or 17% of the county.
Household income in Salt Lake County
At $97,494, the typical Salt Lake County household income is 48% above the median U.S. county ($65,681).
| Band | Salt Lake County | Compared with Utah |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 13.8% | -0.2 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 37.5% | -1.1 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 33.4% | -0.1 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 15.3% | +1.4 pts |
The spread is wide: 49% of Salt Lake County households make $100,000 or more, and 14% make less than $35,000. The poverty rate is 8.1%, the same as the state's 8.5%. For a borrower in Salt Lake County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
Work, industries and travel time in Salt Lake County
By the Census industry count, 22% of employed Salt Lake County residents work in education and health care and 14% in professional and administrative services. Averaged over the five survey years, 3.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking. About 65% drive to work alone and 8% have trips of 45 minutes or more. 5.5% of households have no vehicle.
| Top industries | Salt Lake County share | +/- vs Utah |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 21.7% | -0.8 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 14.1% | +0.9 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.2% | -0.1 pts |
| Manufacturing | 9.9% | -0.3 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 8.7% | +1.6 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 7.9% | -0.2 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Housing costs in Salt Lake County
A typical Salt Lake County rental runs $1,592 a month including utilities, which is 6% above Utah. By the Census definition, 49% of Salt Lake County renters are cost-burdened. With a median value of $525,700, a typical Salt Lake County house costs 5.4 times what the median household earns in a year. 66% of Salt Lake County households own their home and 34% rent.
| Housing | Salt Lake County | Utah statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,592/mo | $1,496/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $525,700 | $489,400 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 66% | 70% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 49% | 47% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 25% | 25% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 1.8% | 2.9% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 5% | 8% | n/a |
Salt Lake County towns compared
24 Census places fall mainly inside Salt Lake County; the 14 biggest are below. They account for 1,190,165 residents, leaving about 1% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Incomes vary by place: $190,833 at the median in Emigration Canyon metro, $72,152 in South Salt Lake. Rent is cheapest in Copperton metro ($1,356) and steepest in Granite ($2,179). Names with links open a city guide. The other 22 places are covered here.
| Town or CDP | Type | People | Median household income | Median gross rent | Miles from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City | city | 208,007 | $75,090 | $1,414 | 8 mi |
| West Valley City | city | 138,437 | $92,209 | $1,504 | 5 mi |
| West Jordan | city | 116,692 | $108,153 | $1,757 | 6 mi |
| Sandy | city | 94,291 | $112,176 | $1,777 | 8 mi |
| South Jordan | city | 82,686 | $134,047 | $1,991 | 9 mi |
| Millcreek | city | 63,648 | $98,045 | $1,492 | 5 mi |
| Herriman | city | 59,346 | $122,650 | $2,019 | 13 mi |
| Taylorsville | city | 58,678 | $86,413 | $1,482 | 2 mi |
| Draper | city | 50,278 | $128,910 | $1,894 | 12 mi |
| Murray | city | 50,188 | $90,746 | $1,500 | 2 mi |
| Riverton | city | 45,457 | $126,910 | $2,137 | 11 mi |
| Kearns metro | place | 37,696 | $86,968 | $1,744 | 5 mi |
| Midvale | city | 35,989 | $75,084 | $1,597 | 4 mi |
| Cottonwood Heights | city | 32,828 | $119,422 | $1,730 | 7 mi |
Salt Lake County next to its neighbors
Davis County is closest, 29 miles from center to center; the sixth, Summit County, is 52 miles off. Summit County leads the group on income ($138,114), Weber County trails ($90,005), and Salt Lake County out-earns 1 of the six.
| Adjacent area | How far | HH income (median) | Rent (median) | Owner share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake County | - | $97,494 | $1,592/mo | 66% |
| Davis County, UT | 29 mi | $110,884 | $1,621/mo | 77% |
| Morgan County, UT | 34 mi | $130,929 | $1,492/mo | 89% |
| Utah County, UT | 40 mi | $100,671 | $1,541/mo | 68% |
| Weber County, UT | 42 mi | $90,005 | $1,379/mo | 74% |
| Wasatch County, UT | 46 mi | $117,608 | $2,000/mo | 80% |
| Summit County, UT | 52 mi | $138,114 | $1,987/mo | 80% |
A Salt Lake County household budget, worked through
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Salt Lake County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- Median income divided by twelve: $8,124 before taxes
- Rent at the median, $1,592, takes 20% of that
- At 36%, room after rent is $1,333 a month
- 43% debt-to-income limit: $1,902 left for all other debt payments
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
What the numbers mean for Salt Lake County borrowers
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Salt Lake County borrowers.
- Six-figure budgets. For the 49% earning $100,000 or more, lifestyle creep, not approval, is the usual problem.
- Renters under pressure. When 49% pay 30% or more for rent, the smallest loan that solves the problem is the right size.
- Requirements. Lenders weigh credit history, documented income and existing debt (what to gather).
More Salt Lake County figures
College graduates make up 39% of the adult population. 9.2% of residents have no health coverage.
| Measure | Salt Lake County | Utah statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.0 | 32.0 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 39.4% | 37.7% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 8.1% | 6.6% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 9.2% | 8.4% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 5.5% | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 19.7% | 17.6% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 8.1% | 8.5% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.8% | 3.6% | 4.4% |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 26.0% |
| 15 to 29 min | 47.1% |
| 30 to 44 min | 18.6% |
| 45 to 59 min | 4.7% |
| 60+ min | 3.6% |
Steps before you apply in Salt Lake County
Before you apply, wherever you live in Salt Lake County:
- Get a written quote for whatever you are paying for in Salt Lake County.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Ask a Salt Lake County credit union about member loans.
Checking a lender's license in Utah
The Utah Department of Financial Institutions is the place to verify any lender's Utah license. Banks and credit unions have their own regulators, and the CFPB takes complaints about any lender. The Utah guide covers state rules in more detail.
Nearby and statewide guides
Guides that cover parts of Salt Lake County:
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Salt Lake County earn?
The median is $97,494; 49% earn $100,000 or more and 14% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
Is Salt Lake County expensive for renters?
Median rent is $1,592 against $1,496 statewide, and 49% of renter households are cost-burdened.
I live in a small Salt Lake County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Salt Lake City, West Valley City, West Jordan, Sandy, South Jordan and 19 more.
Is the fit check different in Salt Lake County?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.
Who regulates personal lenders for Salt Lake County residents?
The Utah Department of Financial Institutions licenses consumer lenders in Utah; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.